Gallery: Scott-3Rox holds winter training camp

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Geoff Kabush getting some cardio on the skate skis with Lars-Erik Johnson(Image credit: Scott-3Rox Racing Team)

The 2013 New Year for Scott-3Rox Racing Team began with a winter training camp during the first week in January. The mountain bikers travelled to Scott Sports' US headquarters in the Wood River Valley of Idaho to do some Alpine touring and Nordic skiing. To complete the experience, they staged from Galena Lodge and hiked to backcountry yurts for a taste of winter camping.

It's in a competitive cyclist's nature to train, but the off-season can present opportunities to introduce alternatives to pedaling. Switching it up allows for some cross-training, a valuable mental break from spinning and a chance to recharge the batteries and have some fun. For riders like Olympian Geoff Kabush, who compete on the cross country World Cup and at the highest level in cyclo-cross, the "off-season" is very short.

"I haven't seen winter in two years," said Kabush. "I tend to travel to California to avoid the cold weather and get some base training in. It was great to meet up with the team discussing goals and doing some team building in a secluded environment. It's awesome to be sponsored by a multi-sport brand like Scott that has a winter product line and is located in a place where you can really enjoy the outdoors this time of year. I definitely put some good training in."

"Running off-season camps is really good for team morale and gives us the opportunity to meet one-on-one before the season starts to lay out our goals and expectations," said Scott's Adrian Montgomery. "I also find that taking the athletes out of their comfort zone for a short period of time, and presenting them with challenges that are less familiar than what they confront on the bike sharpens the mind and builds confidence. We also want to give the team another take on our brand, because we are not simply a bike brand. We also offer wintersport, motosport, outdoor and running products. I think they now have a good sense of Scott having all come to our home base and seen what it's all about."